Aussie enabler alert

Spotlight have a sale on at the moment (until Tuesday 2nd) including

I went - but as usual couldn't find much I liked (just got some navy ponte) - and yet I see so many lovely things made by others from Spotties fabric.

Ended up going to Remnants Warehouse and buying there. After all - a girl has to buy fabric when she is on a mission.

Step one to TNT - McCalls 2401

I read a lot of blogs.

I love reading blogs - although lately I have been so busy (and then sick) so I have been a little slack - now I have been busy catching up - on both reading and sewing.

The blogs I subscribe to meet many different needs for me. Some are for inspiration, some I just love looking at the beautiful well made clothes the author / sewist produces, some are to learn techniques, some tickle my funny bone and start my day with a smile, some are at about the same place in their journey as me, some fill many of the above at the same time. I have a handful of favourites - and they are favourites for different reasons.

One of my favourites is Diary of a Sewing Fanatic - for several reasons. Carolyn is no doubt a fantastic sewist and shows many great techniques on her blog. One of the reasons that Carolyn is a favourite is that her style is SOOOOOOOO my style (or my wanna be style!!!). Often I look at something that a sewist has made and I love it on them but know that I would not be able to wear it or it is not my style. Everything I have seen on Carolyn's blog would  hang nicely in my wardrobe. I have even rushed to the keyboard and ordered the same fabric because I wanted NEEDED that outfit she has just blogged about (are you seeing Single White Female here! Promise - I am not stalking - well only a little!) And of course her ability to work magic with her TNT.

And so starts my journey ..... no no no - not to turn myself into Carolyn (get Single White Female out of your mind!!!) but to create my own trusty dress pattern.

I started with McCalls 2401

This is an EASY shift / sheath (what is the difference??) with 3 neck lines and the 4 sleeve options. It has front and back darts (which I left out - need a waist to show a waist!!!) and bust darts (which I definitely left in - made much bigger and way lower and did an FBA). I also had to make the whole pattern much bigger as it only goes up to a size 22 and I am one or two ahem ahem sizes larger.

Here is the end result of step one in this journey. I used the bateau neckline choice but turned it into scoop as I need a lower neckline to compensate for the lower bust line.

I am happy for a first go - but it still needs work.

In enlarging the pattern I added a cm to the middle of the pattern which would have added 2 cm to the middle when cut on fold. This unfortunately made the middle of the dress too big and caused gaping at the neckline. I fixed this by adding 2 neck darts before putting on the binding. I also made the armholes too big - see gapoisis on armholes and too wide neckline.

I used the same fabric for the neck and armholes binding using the stitch in the ditch method. Unfortunately the fabric I used (which I do love) has minimum stretch so had a bit of trouble with the binding. I only used the binding because the armholes were a little low so to fold over would have made them even lower. I also added a little length and a bit of flair to the skirt taking it away from a straight skirt which makes me look a little more top heavy.

I would always wear sleeveless dresses / tops with a shrug or jacket.

This is how I would wear it:

Back

The fabric is from Vogue Fabrics America - well priced but shipping to AUS is a killer!

I am happy to have a wearable muslin (with the addition of a shrug or jacket). I did my first back slit and am happy with it (baby steps baby steps).

I must say that I was a little concerned at how a shift / sheath would look on me - I am used to princess seamed dresses that nip in and flair out and a shift type dress that I purchased a couple of years ago (and never wore) looks atrocious on me. I guess all shift shapes are not the same. Is it even a shift / sheath if I added a bit of flair?

All in all it is very comfy to wear. I may do myself some weekend versions.

Anyway - for the moment I shall call this my tried and has potential pattern (TNHP). I shall make the changes to the pattern and then I am going to make it again in the fabric that I purchased to copy the Carolyn dress. (stalking again)

BTW - I have read many times that you shouldn't use "overlocker" thread on the needles when doing hems on the coverstich machine. Now I have a combined overlocker and coverstitch machine and was painstakingly changing the needle cotton when I finished overlocking and started hemming.

As this was just going to be a muslin I thought - blow it - I am not going to change the cotton from the cones to the Gutermann..... and lo and behold ..... looks good to me. Can anyone tell me why I shouldn't be using overlocker cones.... Do you use overlocker cones when doing coverstitch hems?

Google is taking away READER - Not happy Jan!

Scrolling through my google reader this morning I came across a post from the Happy Homemaker informing me that Google is shutting down reader in July!!! What is it with Google - iGoogle is going in November, they recently updated Chrome so now I can't download videos through Real Player - they are really messing with my head....

I access reader through iGoogle gadget so I didn't get the warning notice that it is closing reader

JuliN from Happy Homemaker to the rescue - she posted a link to this site with other options. THANKS JuliN - hugs to you.

I suggest if you use Google Reader you change over ASAP as some of the previously free options are now charging due to rapid increase in users.

In other news - I haven't posted for over a month - I have been dealing with storm damage to the house - over the course of a couple weeks we had 2 broken windows (including one window frame), water affected carpet and sound system and then a third of the roof on the shed blew away.... I have had insurance people come out and then again and then again - workmen and then more workmen - the roof is still missing but at least the windows are semi fixed.

Add to that I have had computer problems - hasn't been a atmosphere conducive to sewing - hopefully on the weekend I will get to it.

Heeeeeeeeelp - Vogue 8815

Recently I went through the Craftsy course on design and fitting plus sized patterns using Vogue 8815. Now I found the class great - however did not finish it. I cheated and went "straight to the back of the book". ( I will go back and finish - I promise)

I did do all of the pattern alterations with the class but skipped the fitting and sewing bits (I know - I know - how is a girl to learn - it is something I admonish my students for*sigh*).

Anyway - I did have some fitting issues. I know that I should take my high bust measurements and do an FBA - however I was so busy concentrating and "dancing along with the show" that I put in my full bust measurements when told to and hence the top was way too big. I ended up taking out 6 of the inches I put in to change it from a size 24 to a size Beverley.

I also didn't like how high the neckline was so lowered it - umm - somewhat too much - *blush*. Because of the too large sizing I ended up with a massive width in the neckline too - so I put some gathers in to take it in.

The armholes are too big and the waist too low in my opinion (what do you think about the waist height??) - but this is just the toile and I know what I need to do for the real one/s.

Overall (with the changes mentioned and the neckline raised an inch or so) I am happy with the pattern..........

(Pictured with my latest incarnation of Linda Pants - yes yes yes - they ARE black - your eyes do no deceive you - and I did say I am steering away from my comfortable black - however a gal HAS to have SOME black!!! They replace the pair I cut up)

As stated - I do like it - with one exception - the dreaded neckband.

The pattern itself doesn't have a neckband. I included it because I cut the neckline too low. Can you image it without a neckband!!!!

Pride goeth before a fall - you may remember a previous post where I was crowing about conquering a neckband...

Hmmmmm - not so much now - you can see how it "flip flops" over the place: *** Please advert gaze from cleavage - I did say I cut it a little low **** (oh the pictures a girl has to take and put on the interwebs for advice......)

Now - I think my problem is the fabric. I cut the band an inch and a half shorter than the top and tried to stretch the band as I sewed between quarter pins like usual - but alas - there is very little stretch in this fabric. It is classed as ITY with 92% poly and 8% lycra but I think the lycra was stolen in a raid on the factory. The stretch is almost non existent. It didn't work trying to stretch it between the pins. I ended up "tacking" it by hand and easing the fabric into the neckband. That worked until I sewed it and - well - let's just say it is a little limp...

So heeeeeeeeeeelp - what do I do? I think this needs to be treated as a woven. I don't have enough fabric to cut another band. It definitely needs a band - otherwise I might be arrested if I wear it in public. 

It is a toile and therefore supposedly a contender for waddersville - but I quite like it despite it's faults and would like to wear it - maybe even *gasp* in public... dare I say it - maybe even to work if I can fix it.

It was the toile for the wine coloured cheater I was going to submit to Jungle January - but time ran out.

What can I do - any advice welcome.

Newsflash - Plus Sized Pattern Pyramid moves on

To all ladies with curves.

The Plus Sized Pattern Pyramid is now on it's next leg and the lovely funnygrrl at Falling Through Your Clothes  and the very stylish Lisa H at Sew On and Sew On are hosting their pattern pile drawings. Go ahead and stalk the patterns.

Don't forget to vote - one pattern many looks

To all PR members - don't forget to vote in the One Pattern Many Looks contest. I have put my votes in. Now I am not trying to garner votes here - my tops are very simple and there are some great entries who have put in a lot of work and I enjoyed voting for them and acknowledging their work. Just reminding you all as there is only a few days left to vote.

Jalie Skirt finished.

In my last post I mentioned that my coverstitch / overlocker machine was skipping stitches badly when trying to do the coverstitch hem on my skirt. I thought it might be the needles but I had used all the special needles used in the machine and couldn't find any in the stores.

Alison from Sewing with Cats to the rescue! She very kindly posted me a packet of the precious needles (including the details of an ebay store where they are sold very reasonably priced!) and I cleaned, oiled and changed the needles and voila - it works!!!! Thanks Alison - and thanks also to queen of the Jungle Velosewer for offering the use of her machine and needles too! This is some great community. I hope that I have the opportunity to give back soon.

So here is my skirt - before the pic let me say - I am happy with the skirt but think it a little too much modeled with the matching top... there are those who can get away with a lot of loud print on a body - but alas - I don't think I am one of them..

Here it is with a RTW black top.

The full skirt

Now - a question for all of the stylistas out there - please some shooting from the hip feedback. 

1. Is the all animal too much?
2. Is the black top too black - drag it down?
3. What about length of tops? If I were to make another StyleArc Creative Cate top (the pattern is almost worn out) in a chocolate or caramel - is the length too long for a skirt on the first top.

I tend to wear mainly plain slacks with patterned tops. Not through choice but because I don't have any skirts that look okay. 

Thanks,

Before I sign off I would like to send a huge hug across the ocean to Anne at Pretty Grievances for guiding us through the jungle in January (although I think I may have just missed the tour bus with this skirt), What a great month it has been and I can't wait to see the "very first Annie awards".... my breath is bated and I am waiting like an eager beaver-ly.